It’s been nearly nine months since I switched from using a round cake cooling rack for my canning rig to the silicone trivet you see above and I wouldn’t go back for anything. I love the trivet at canning rack with all my heart, particularly since it doesn’t impart any funky particles into the water and looks just as good now as the first day I got it.
In fact, the only minor issue I’ve had is that when it’s left in a pot of boiling water with no jars holding it down, it can sometimes float. However, a quick maneuver with a jar lifter and it’s back in place and ready to lift and pad the jars again.
Awhile back, I got an email from the spokesperson at Spice Ratchet, the company that makes the Blossom Trivet, delighted with the new use I’d found for their product. They offered to sponsor a giveaway, to help spread the trivet love even further. I have five (5) trivets to give away to a handful of lucky winners.
If you’re interested in entering the giveaway, here’s what you do.
- Leave a comment on this post and tell me about your canning rig. Are you a traditional canning pot user? Or have you cobbled together something more interesting?
- Comments will close at 11:59 pm east coast time on Friday, September 14, 2012. Winner will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog on Saturday, September 15, 2012.
- Giveaway is open to US residents.
- One comment per person, please. Entries must be left via the comment form on the blog, I cannot accept submissions via email.
Disclosure: Spice Ratchet is providing five Blossom Trivets for this giveaway. They sent me an assortment of their mini blossoms for testing purposes. I’ve not been paid to host this giveaway and my opinions remain my own.
 |
![[Your name]'s gallery on Punk Domestics](http://www.punkdomestics.com/sites/default/files/badges/GalleryBadge200.gif)
I just use what came with my pressure canner.
I am a traditional canner using a stock pot but the rack on the bottom is our vegetable steamer rack. I unscrew the center post and fill the well with a face cloth to create a balanced surface. It works but not well, sometimes the expletives coming out of the kitchen when I lift the jars out are not very lady like……..oh well. It is a little tippy.
I used to use a cake rack/stock pot, but my cake rack got so rusty I caved in and got an actual canning pot! I’d love the trivet for smaller jobs in my stock pot, though.
I’ve got a graniteware canner with a rusted wire stand thing in the bottom. I also have a pressure canner (used to be my MIL’s) that has an aluminum disk in the bottom with a rusty cage type thing that holds the jars. I don’t dare lift it out just in case it should break at the wrong time. The blossom trivet looks wonderful.
I’m canning some tomato jam tonight! And covering my tomatoes too — it could freeze overnight, just when my tomatoes are ripening.
I am a traditional canner but would love to try new things!
Big fat canning pot, with no rack…it rusted too much!
This is my first year of canning. I bought the traditional speckled canning pot but the bottom isn’t completely flat so it doesn’t make complete contact with my glass stove top. I think I could use my regular stock pot for canning if I had one of these cool trivets!
I use a big ol stock pot…with (gasp) no rack or anything underneath my jars. I definitely could use one of these!
I have a pressure canner and a water bath, but lately I’ve been avoid the water bath since its rack has been leaving gross film on my jars that is a huge pain to clean off.
I’m the traditional canner. My gma taught me!
I have an old enamel water bath canner with a old rusty rack that I would LOVE to replace!!!
I use a hot water bath in my largest stock pot and random piece of metal that elevates the jars off the bottom of my pot that, I think, came from my 1980′s pressure cooker. Definitely not perfect but it’s worked for the past few years.
I just use my biggest stockpot, a kitchen towel instead of a rack, and rubberbands around tongs to lift jars…
it’s very cobbled together, and not ideal, but it works!
Wow! That really is the Mcgyver way of canning!! Ever thought about what you could do with dental floss and chewing gum!?
. Good job though. You show gumption, dedication and cleverness.
I’m pretty traditional, but racks have always been an issue. Some the rings are to far apart and it’s hard to balance 1/2 pints on them. They rust with many uses etc. Recently found one I really like, but this trivet looks great!
I had been borrowing all my canning equipment but found a water bath canning pot at a flea market – however the rack which holds the jars is very rusty so I would love this. Thank you!
Oooh, this looks very user-friendly! I have a very traditional set up with the old speckled enamel pot and the wire rack. The wire rack looks worse each year and I’ve often wondered if I should find something else. I’d love a chance to try this, thanks!
Before purchasing my now canning pot set up, I was using a large pot and dish rags on the bottom to keep the jars from ratteling.
Have been collecting things I need to can with, beginner. Planning my garden for next year. Just found your site and so excited about all the advice you give, thanks!
I use a traditional canning pot that belonged to my 92 year old mother in law. I think I’ve used it more than she did, the pot is still great but the basket is a rusted mess. I’d love the chance to try the trivet. Love your site!
Well. While I do and have used many things, my favorite is an old dial-gauge pressure canner I bought from an uncle. Water bath, pressure, whatever, I love it. My most creative thing has to be using a metal trivet for a rack, and a magnet from a kid’s science kit for a lid lifter.
I started canning with a big stock pot (12 qt IIRC) and some lid rings tied together, then I was using a washcloth (the lid rings rusted right away due to using wire to tie them together). The next year I upgraded to a black enamel pot plus canning rack so I could process quart size jars. But I really would like a streamlined smaller set-up that blends seamlessly with my everyday kitchen – it feels a little silly filling up that big black pot for 2-4 half-pint jars.
I use the bottom of my pressure cooker with the steamer insert that came with it (though I was sad to learn that you can’t use a pressure cooker as a pressure canner!)
oh, i want one! i use a traditional canning rack for my big canner – i’ve had to replace it this year because of the yucky rusting… and when i just to pint jars i often use my pasta pot with a washcloth on the bottom. not such a great system…
Marisa, i’m having a devil of a time getting the thing to not float and curl up into itself. Can you describe this maneuver of yours that gets the darn thing back down flat into the bottom of the pot?
I am cooking up a peach butter for my very first attempt at canning as I write this! I’ve had my eye for ages on that same 12qt Cuisinart stock pot that you use so because I took the plunge and bought that, I held back on the trivet and am making do with a kitchen towel as mentioned on another post in the archives somewhere. I’d love one of the brightly colored ones though! The kitchen towel seems to be interfering with the bubbles in the boiling a bit.
My dad is a pressure canner, and that’s what I grew up doing, but currently I use a traditional rig that I picked up for cheap.
I use a traditional canning set-up I inherited from my mom. I do however have a smaller canner that could really use a silicone trivet!
I use a pint canner, quarts won’t fit, ‘cuz my stove is too small! The rack is a cake rack maybe… I’ve wanted this trivet since I saw is some time ago and couldn’t remember where! I’m pretty sure now that it was here!
I’m a sometimes canner, usually doing stuff that I can freeze or eat soon. I hope to find Mom’s canning stuff when I clean out the basement, and get serious about canning again.
I was using a pot with a cake rack in the bottom but that only fit half pints. I just purchased a pressure canner at a garage sale but don’t really know what to do with it! However, it has come in handy as I am now able to water bath pints in it!
I have only used traditional tools. I don’t own a canning pot, so I only can when I am able to borrow one. I did spring for my own tool set though, so I didn’t have to worry about losing someone else tools when my kids put away dishes.
I began my canning career about two months ago. Bought a standard enamel canner, but it’s HUGEl My stove is electric and very slow to heat it up the canner. I’ve since bought a tall stockpot to replace the canner. It’ll hold four quarts and a pint jar. And for pickle brine, I bought a “4th burner pot”, which has a perfect spout to pour from and a nice silicone handle that stays cool. My small pressure cooker doubles as a jam pot. I think it’s the perfect set-up for small-batch preserving.
This is my second time canning. I hear popping so I did it correctly. I use a very large stock pot that I have. I do think it time to invest in the proper thongs.
I use a borrowed stock pot (handy to live next to a good friend–we’ve been borrowing his for years) and my husband cobbled together a rack for the bottom out of unused paint stir sticks. Every time we can something, that rack cracks me up, but it’s starting to show its age. We have an aluminum pressure cooker, but it advises against using it on our glasstop stove. *sigh*
I use a regular pot ( large! ) with an old deep fryer basket instead of a rack. Easier to get the jars out.
I’m a traditional type canner. Canning pot, ball jars. This spring/summer I canned strawberry jam, your strawberry vanilla jam (delish) blueberry pomegranate jam, mango chutney, sweet pickles, pickle relish, jalapeño jam, and pickled cherry peppers. I did take your advice and bought the Kuhn Richon third burner. I love that pot. I’ve used it a few times now when I have just one jar left over that wouldn’t fit into the full canner. That’s perfect! I also use it while I’m canning to hold my rings and lids. And it holds a dozen of eggs perfectly to hardboil. Love your blog and your book – thanks for all you do to help make us better at what we love to do!
I use my traditional canning pot/utensils…..I am afraid to “make something” of my own!!!
Most often, either the PC or the Victrio stainless steam canner, but overall just try to use the smallest pot necessary to get the job done. This trivit is a GREAT alternative to the pie racks. And now that you mention it, I seem to be using them less often, perhaps simply because they have become quite difficult to find in my neighborhood and mine are in pretty bad shape now.
I’m a more traditional canner but not afraid to experiment. I did but the ‘fourth burner pot’ and have used it for a few things. I consider it a good investment and will probably get one for each of my daughter-in-laws for their ‘kitchen gift’ for Christmas.
I’m a reluctant traditionalist, using the rack that came with the canning pot. I know what you mean about those flakes that come off in the water. Ick.
I inherited my mother’s traditional canning set-up a couple years ago. Although, I’m pretty sure now that canning is ‘vogue’ and I use it to make all sorts of things, she’s regretting giving it away!
I am a very new canner with just the horrible plastic green rig from the Ball starter kit.
I usually use a big old fashioned enamel pot, but the first rack that came with it rusted, so I replaced it with a replacement metal rack that I don’t like as well, as it has ridges that prevent placing jars of various sizes easily together. I think using this trivet would be much more flexible and would accomodate teeny quarter pint jam jars up through quarts.
I have a traditional rig, with the black speckleware kettle. The rack is rusty and I hate it. I often use a bunch of spare bands zip-tied together as a bottom rack.
I recently purchased one of these trivets and I to have a problem with it floating when there are no jars holding it down. How do you maneuver it to get it back into place?
i use a le cruset stockpot (found on the cheap at tj maxx) and canning rings zip tied together for the bottom. i think the silicone would be better though.
I’m just getting back to canning after a long absence, largely due to health issues. I’m eager to use anything that can make it less strenuous to put nutritious, local food onto our shelves and in our stomachs. Thanks for sharing your experience & knowledge!
ummm, let’s see..we have the enamel pot for the water bath canning, and we have a pressure canner that holds 7 quarts. We just use the normal jar rack – which I hate! This trivet looks like a worthy alternative.
This would be great. I use a folded towel right now. Talk about floating…….. Oh well, at least it works, although I have burned my fingers numerous times. Ouch! And other not so nice things.
I’m traditional with a rig from Goodwill.